Added my first corals, what a ride so far!

Kenpo guy · 05/05/2015, 10:47 PM

Wow so we added a finger leather and a frogspawn this weekend and what an education we have received. This is nothing like fish and inverts, holy crap! The frogspawn wasn't my idea but the wife wanted it so well you know. It still hasn't opened up yet. It has tried but my cuc wont leave it alone. Starts to come out until something messes with it. Now for the leather. Had a nice bright green color when we added it to the tank then the next day its polups raised and turned brown. It also shed a bit kind of like a molt. Today it looked great and the color was back all brown spots gone but I noticed it got bumped by probably my large hermit. So I reached in and repositioned it so it wouldn't fall. Its in a much more stable spot now but dog gone it if it didn't turn brown again! Testy little buggers arent they! What an experience this has been. I hope all corals aren't this touchy but I have a feeling this is par for the course.

ZeeSparrow · 05/06/2015, 06:07 AM

Do you have any pictures to share? I'm waiting for my tank to cycle so pictures are the closest I get to seeing corals for now!

ReefsandGeeks · 05/06/2015, 07:58 AM

The coral will get a bit better once they settle in, maybe a week or so to get used to your perameters. They pretty much don';t like being bothered, but even when I move mine and put them back for whatever reason, they are back to normal in an hour or so. The brown could possibly be from low lights, but I wouldn't change anyhting untill they settle in more. Good luck with the new obsession!

Sk8r · 05/06/2015, 08:40 AM

CHeck your alkalinity just in case. I keep standard coral parameters in my sig line. Softies are more forgiving, but not that much. And try to get them as stable as possible. Don't worry too much about the inverts bothering them. They're probably finding something to nosh on, but it's not too likely the coral itself. Worms in particular will clean up dead tissue or muck, and are helpers. Just kind of watch them and see if one species is going after the coral or if it's general.

Bpb · 05/06/2015, 11:29 AM

Hate to say it, but those are some of the least finicky corals you can find and will generally thrive in a much wider range of conditions than others. Other corals are FAR pickier with water, light, and flow to display optimal color and growth. However...what you're experiencing is not coral being sensitive, you're just experiencing how corals often behave when transfered to a completely new tank. Sometimes it can take things several days/weeks to really open up and develop consistent color. Gotta be patient and look at the numbers in sk8r's signature and try to migrate your parameters toward those areas.

Sk8r · 05/06/2015, 12:06 PM

Also---corals are just more reactive than a lot of people expect. They go to sleep, they wake up, they puff up...some reach out after food, some even migrate (slowly) to a spot they like better. They DO things. They get happy. They get mad and spit. And once they start growing and dividing, seems like a new head is happening every time you turn around.

Kenpo guy · 05/06/2015, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Also---corals are just more reactive than a lot of people expect. They go to sleep, they wake up, they puff up...some reach out after food, some even migrate (slowly) to a spot they like better. They DO things. They get happy. They get mad and spit. And once they start growing and dividing, seems like a new head is happening every time you turn around.

Dude that's about the most awesome description I've ever heard about corals! I can't wait to get this tank to that point. Thanks for the encouraging words. I know this journey will be filled with peaks and valleys but I'm looking forward to every bit of it.

05/05/2015, 10:47 PM	#1
Kenpo guy Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 107	Added my first corals, what a ride so far! Wow so we added a finger leather and a frogspawn this weekend and what an education we have received. This is nothing like fish and inverts, holy crap! The frogspawn wasn't my idea but the wife wanted it so well you know. It still hasn't opened up yet. It has tried but my cuc wont leave it alone. Starts to come out until something messes with it. Now for the leather. Had a nice bright green color when we added it to the tank then the next day its polups raised and turned brown. It also shed a bit kind of like a molt. Today it looked great and the color was back all brown spots gone but I noticed it got bumped by probably my large hermit. So I reached in and repositioned it so it wouldn't fall. Its in a much more stable spot now but dog gone it if it didn't turn brown again! Testy little buggers arent they! What an experience this has been. I hope all corals aren't this touchy but I have a feeling this is par for the course.

05/06/2015, 06:07 AM	#2
ZeeSparrow Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Spokane Valley, WA Posts: 788	Do you have any pictures to share? I'm waiting for my tank to cycle so pictures are the closest I get to seeing corals for now! __________________ Build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2499447 Current Tank Info: 75G w/29G sump, Reefbreeders Photon 48, RO Classic 110-INT, Jebao DCT-8000, 2xJebao RW-8, 2xEheim Jager 150W heaters, Tunze Osmolator ATO, TLF GFO

05/06/2015, 08:40 AM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	CHeck your alkalinity just in case. I keep standard coral parameters in my sig line. Softies are more forgiving, but not that much. And try to get them as stable as possible. Don't worry too much about the inverts bothering them. They're probably finding something to nosh on, but it's not too likely the coral itself. Worms in particular will clean up dead tissue or muck, and are helpers. Just kind of watch them and see if one species is going after the coral or if it's general. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/06/2015, 12:06 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Also---corals are just more reactive than a lot of people expect. They go to sleep, they wake up, they puff up...some reach out after food, some even migrate (slowly) to a spot they like better. They DO things. They get happy. They get mad and spit. And once they start growing and dividing, seems like a new head is happening every time you turn around. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

05/06/2015, 07:58 AM	#3
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	The coral will get a bit better once they settle in, maybe a week or so to get used to your perameters. They pretty much don';t like being bothered, but even when I move mine and put them back for whatever reason, they are back to normal in an hour or so. The brown could possibly be from low lights, but I wouldn't change anyhting untill they settle in more. Good luck with the new obsession!

05/06/2015, 11:29 AM	#5
Bpb Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Texas Posts: 3,148	Hate to say it, but those are some of the least finicky corals you can find and will generally thrive in a much wider range of conditions than others. Other corals are FAR pickier with water, light, and flow to display optimal color and growth. However...what you're experiencing is not coral being sensitive, you're just experiencing how corals often behave when transfered to a completely new tank. Sometimes it can take things several days/weeks to really open up and develop consistent color. Gotta be patient and look at the numbers in sk8r's signature and try to migrate your parameters toward those areas.